


Welcome to the Sea of Death!

by trash_devil



Category: Mogeko | Funamusea, WatGBS, 大海原と大海原 | Oounabara to Wadanohara | Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
Genre: But I refuse to believe he was always that way, Gen, Origin Story, Sal did everything wrong, headcanons galore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2018-12-10 23:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11701968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trash_devil/pseuds/trash_devil
Summary: How Sal became part of the Red Sea





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey, thanks for reading this! It's kinda scary putting up my first story, but I hope you enjoy it

A long time ago, the sea was pure blue. Above its waters, the full moon glowed, and in its soft light, life thrived.  
And then one day, that blue bled to red, and a horrible war ravaged the sea, until blood could not be distinguished from water. The moon and sea joined to form a seal, washing the waters clear once more, and in their union a perfect pearl of an egg was formed.

Two little sharks drifted aimless and lost in the currents. The brave one, the bold one, blue-grey and sharp-toothed, turned to his brother.  
“Can you believe it!?” he hissed. “She left us! She left us!”  
His brother looked back with eyes the same sad blue as the water. “Mom’s gone,” he said quietly.  
“Gone. Yeah, gone.” He muttered under his breath, “Stupid…”  
“You know… You can cry in the water, and no one will see…”  
The grey shark looked up, concern flitting across his expression. “Hey, hey now…” He reached out to his pale brother, who only giggled softly, brokenly.  
“She hated us…”  
“No, that's… That's not true…”  
“She hated me,” he whispered. “My fault, my fault, my fault, my fau—”  
“Stop! Shut up!! You're wrong!”  
His brother stopped his mindless chant. They stared at each other with the same hurt, surprised expression.  
“S-She loved us. Me. You. She didn't mean to leave, she just… She had to…” the dark one mumbled into the silence.  
His brother nodded. “... You can cry, you know,” he repeated.  
Salty tears disappeared into even saltier waters, and, tails wrapped around each other for comfort, they cried.


	2. Chapter 2

The grey shark wanted to forget the life they had before. He abandoned his old name in favor of a new one—Samekichi—for his true name had too much of the past tied to it. His brother, though, would never dream of forgetting. He clung as tightly to his name as he could. It was his last gift from his mother.   
It was through that very desperation to keep it that he lost it. It had shriveled and faded with disuse and he found, quite suddenly one morning, that he could no longer remember it.

Samekichi saw the strange, lost look in his brother’s eyes. “... What's wrong?” he asked.  
“My name,” his twin answered softly, staring blankly at his hands. “Samekichi, what's my name?”  
“Your… name?” He frowned and shook his head. “I… I don't know. You never used it.”  
He nodded. “Right. Of course.”  
“I could help you come up with a new one?”  
“A new name,” he said, and smiled.  
Samekichi hated that smile. That faltering smile, filled with not happiness but with misery. He punched him lightly in the arm, “Hey now. You're like salt.”  
“... Salt?” The smile turned into a confused frown.  
“Yeah. White and gritty and briny. Not nice and light, like the moon. Salt.”  
A scowl. “Wow, thanks.”  
“You're welcome,” Samekichi grinned. He was just glad to have turned his brother’s mind away from the loss of his name, even if it meant making him angry. And he had one more card to play. “I got somethin’ that'll cheer you uuuup~”  
“Really now.”  
“Mhm! That castle you like so much is open for visits now,” he answered. He saw eagerness spark into his brother’s eyes, and that made him happy too. He knew how the little white shark spent so much time staring at that magnificent building, the wonder and awe that made him draw childish replicas in the sand.   
“Really? Really? What're we waiting for!” he said, his loss momentarily forgotten. His tail thrashed impatiently in the water as he waited for Samekichi, and then he took off.  
Samekichi was not far behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Wadanohara didn't know what to think of the two sharks that wandered in. She was more surprised than anything else—she had never seen them before, even though she had been sure that she knew every creature in this sea. And then there was that haunting familiarity…  
The one on the right had an undeniable resemblance to her father’s old familiar, before he… No. Don't think of that. The other shark was like the first’s bleached reflection. A carbon copy in purest white instead of gray, blue eyes bright instead of dark. They were moon and sea, just like her.  
“I'm Samekichi!” said the first, taking his hand out of his pocket to wave a small greeting.  
“I'm Wadanohara,” she answered with a smile. She turned to the other one. “And you?”  
He looked like he was about to speak, but then he hesitated. He cast a pleading glance at Samekichi.  
Samekichi suddenly broke into a wicked grin. “Him? He's sal—”  
“Am not!” he hissed, elbowing the darker shark in the ribs so he could not repeat his earlier insult.  
“Sal?” Wadanohara asked after a moment, confused by their disagreement.  
Samekichi shrugged. The white shark sighed, then nodded. “Alright, sure. I'm Sal.”  
His brother snickered, trying to hide it behind one hand. Sal noticed anyway and shot him an impressive death glare.  
“Nice to meet you, Sal and Samekichi! Are you new around here?”  
“Oh, you know. We've been around,” Samekichi said cryptically, making some vague motions with his hand. “Never came here, though.”  
“Really? Well, just know you're always welcome,” she said, and smiled again. The two sharks couldn't help but smile back. It made them look all the more alike, identical sharp-toothed grins and all.  
“We’ll keep that in mind. See you around, then,” Samekichi said. He grabbed Sal’s arm and, with a quick bow, darted out of the room with him.   
He wouldn't answer anything Sal said to him until they were out of the castle. Then he spoke.  
“Wasn't she beautiful?” he asked, happier than Sal had ever seen him. He sighed dreamily. “She… She's perfect!”  
“She'd make a good mother,” Sal replied.  
Samekichi stopped. He turned to his brother. “Sal, you creep,” he said, voice filled with a disappointment.   
Sal wasn't sure if he was kidding or not. “I-I just meant that she's...really nice, and—”  
“Heh. Just messing with ya.” He grinned, and pushed the corners of Sal’s mouth into a smile. “You're always so serious and gloomy. Lighten up! Weren’t you the one that wanted to go?”  
“Yeah, but—”  
“Nuh-uh,” Samekichi said, waggling his finger at him. “No ‘but’s. Just be happy for once! It's such a pain how you're always whining about this or that…”  
Sal cringed at his words, but he didn't seem to notice. Nor did he notice that the white shark was lagging farther and farther behind as they swam.  
He stopped. “I'm a pain, huh?” he said, but Samekichi was too far to hear. A strange smile spread across his face as a sudden anger hit him. “Well, maybe I should just leave you? Leave you all alone...”   
Samekichi finally turned to see his brother far behind. “Sal!” he called. “What're you doing, slowpoke?”  
His voice snapped Sal out of his thoughts. He shook his head, grin vanishing along with his rage. He just felt...confused. “I… don't know what I was doing?”  
“You weirdo.” Samekichi swam up to him. “Here, I don't want you getting lost or something.” He held out his hand, and Sal took it.


	4. Chapter 4

Years pass, as they always do. Little sharks grew into big ones, a witch grew into her power. And every good witch needs a familiar.  
But it was not Samekichi that was chosen that day. No, that honor went to his pure white brother—a moon shark for a sea witch.

Sal held the summons in his hands, eyes wide with disbelief as he read the words. Oh, how he wanted it. He wanted with every fiber of his being to be important, useful, loved. He glanced over his shoulder at Samekichi, who swam in bored loops. He was oblivious to the piece of paper that would change both their lives forever.  
Sal had seen the way his brother looked at Wadanohara. Once, Samekichi had teased him for being sullen. Now the grey shark was the brooding one, but his rare smiles always appeared when she was around. All his moments of happiness were centered around her, and as much as Sal wanted to be at Wadanohara’s side, he knew that Samekichi wanted it more. His fingers curled around the paper, crumpling it into a sodden ball. With a flick of his tail, he slipped past Samekichi headed off toward the castle.

“Sal! You came!” Wadanohara said, running up to him with a huge smile on her face.   
Sal grimaced. He knew he was only going to disappoint her, and he had to resist the urge to turn tail and swim somewhere far far away. “Y-Yeah. But I… Can I talk to you for a second?”  
Her smile vanished, replaced by a look of concern. “Of course you can! What's wrong?” Her fingers brushed against his hand.   
He had never wanted to vanish anymore than he did now. Her touch was tender, her hand warm on his cold skin. So much kindness in a single gesture. He shook her off. “Look. Just… My brother? Samekichi,” he stammered. His thoughts scattered.  
“Sal? Are you okay? … Has Samekichi been doing something?”  
Innocent eyes full of innocent intentions. His heart hammered wildly in his chest. “N-Nothing like that.” He took a deep breath. “I just think he'd be a better familiar than I would.”  
“I think you'd make a wonderful familiar!” Wadanohara protested.  
“No! I mean… I mean that I refuse. I refuse to be your familiar, and I want you to pick my brother instead. Okay?” he said.   
“You don't… Want to be my familiar?”  
Sal hurried to answer, “Not like that! I do, but I think Samekichi wants it more. I think it would make him happy.”  
Wadanohara smiled at that. “Oh, I see. You're very kind, Sal,” she said, taking his hands in hers. “... Sal? You're shaking.”  
“U-Uh… I should go. Yeah. Uh. Bye.” He snatched his hands back and bolted, leaving Wadanohara to wonder at his hasty retreat. 

Sal swam blindly, trying to make the rushing of water in his ears drown out everything else. He was scared, so scared. Scared of Wadanohara’s kindness, scared of the way her face flickered and faded and changed in his eyes, until all he saw was his mother.   
And there she was again, and again, little flashes of memory at the corners of his vision. Despair crashed on him like waves on the shore, and he thrashed his way upward until he breached the surface with a gasp and a sob. He wanted to feel himself cry. He was sick of his tears melting into nothing in the sea.   
The moon glinted off the surface of the water as he bobbed among the waves. It sparkled like an ocean of stars, and those dazzling lights continued to dance on his eyelids when he closed his eyes. If he could be in the sky instead of the sea…

— — — —

“Sal! Sal, guess what!? She chose me!” Samekichi scrambled up to him, and waved the paper in his face.”  
Sal pushed him away, arms out to keep Samekichi from tackling him in his enthusiasm. He still couldn't help but smile at his twin’s happiness. “Whoa, whoa, slow down. Chose you for what?” Of course, he already knew, but Samekichi didn't need to know how much of an influence Sal had on the decision. Best to pretend he didn't know.  
“Her familiar! I'm gonna be her familiar!” He stopped bouncing around and stared directly at his brother, eyes wide with awe. “I never dreamed that she'd pick me…”  
“Well, I think she made a good choice,” Sal said.  
He got a surprise of his own when Samekichi threw his arms around him in a hug. “I can't believe it… I don't know if I can do this...”  
“It's real, ‘Kichi. So believe it, and do your best. I'm sure the two of you will get along quite nicely.”  
“Thanks, Sal,” Samekichi said, and there was real gratitude in his smile.

That was the last time he ever smiled like that at his brother again.


	5. Chapter 5

Something was different now. Sal wasn't quite sure why. Maybe he had been forgotten, maybe replaced. Maybe he just wasn't needed anymore.   
Samekichi just looked right through him; he never really saw him, never really heard him. He mumbled noncommittal answers to Sal’s questions, his mind somewhere far from his brother. Sal was just an inconvenience to him now that he had Wadanohara. Just a wimpy little brat who nagged him and chattered incessantly about stupid things he didn't care about.  
Sal knew, of course. How could he not? How could he miss that vague, distant look in Samekichi’s eyes? How could he miss how they sparked to life whenever Wadanohara was around? He hated it. Hated them. One thought, ceaseless, rang in his head: _It should have been me, it should have been me, it should have been me._ It washed away all the meaning, all the memories, until he forgot why he had given Samekichi what would have been his.   
Why had he ever cared about his brother at all?

“So. You weren't good enough either.”  
Sal looked up. By his side was a boy he had never seen before. Blood ran down his face, staining his blond hair. He was remarkably unconcerned about the giant fishhook pierced through his skull. He looked at Sal with indifference, with horribly red eyes.  
“... Huh?”  
“I… No. We. We weren't good enough for this sea.” He sighed and closed the book he was holding. “They kicked us out. Never looked back. Forgot.”  
Sal frowned. “Who are you?”  
“Tsuribari. You won't...forget…right?” For a brief moment emotion flickered into his dead eyes—a fearful, silent plea. The next second, it was gone, but even that short flash of feeling tugged at Sal’s heart.  
“No, I won't forget,” he promised. He reached out to Tsuribari’s hand, a hesitant smile flickering on his face. “It's okay. You can trust me.”  
Tsuribari nodded. “Good. You're just like us. Like your father.”  
“My… Father?”  
“Yes.” He squeezed Sal’s hand. “You belong with me—… With us. I'll take you home. If you want.”  
“Why wouldn't I?”  
“Once you go to the Red Sea, you'll never be a part of the Blue Sea again. Sure, you can come back if you're careful enough, but… No one will want you around.”  
Red Sea… He was certain he had heard that name somewhere before. A name spoken of in hushed, fearful tones. But. What did he have to lose?  
“No one wants me around anyway.”  
Tsuribari's mouth moved into some vague approximation of a smile. Faster than Sal could think, the boy had slit the shark’s throat wide open.  
There was no pain. In fact, he hardly even realized it had happened at all. He didn't think to question why, or to wonder at how the red in the water could not have been from his blood alone. He didn't ask why the crimson spread, consumed, changed the world around him.   
The promise of home, of belonging, and the gentle pressure of Tsuribari’s hand in his wiped away any doubts he may have had. Even the fish skeletons drifting listlessly through the sea like a warning did not deter him.  
The dead have little to fear, after all.


	6. Chapter 6

“That hook go straight through your brains? The hell you doin’ bringing him here?” The battered old shark pointed an accusing finger at Sal.  
Tsuribari stood his ground. “He's your son, stupid. He's the one who inherited your crazy, so don't blame me.”  
“Calling me crazy means you're crazy too.”  
“So be it.” He shrugged. “Hey, Sal, this is Old.”  
“... My dad?” Sal asked.  
“Uh-huh.” Old scowled. “You're a wimpy thing. I thought it would be the other one to join us.”  
Something flashed in Sal’s eyes. His mouth split into a grin, showing rows and rows of teeth. A newfound bloodlust, a new cruelty filled him. “So not even you want me, eh? Maybe I'll have to fillet you, show you which of us is the fish and which is the shark.”  
Old perked up a bit. The corner of his mouth twitched into a pained smile. “Maybe you do have the nerve after all.” He shook Sal’s hand, squeezing far harder than necessary.  
His smile widened further when Sal didn’t even flinch.   
“So you’re one of us now, eh?”  
“Of course,” Sal purred, and dug his nails into Old’s hand.   
“Tsuribari, take him to Her Highness,” Old said as he released his son’s hand.  
Tsuribari nodded. “Of course.”

— — — —

Mikotsu drifted through the water in a circle around him. He could feel her gaze dragging along his body, sizing him up, determining his worth. And he was going to make a good impression. He stood with his hands behind his back, posture ramrod straight, mouth open just enough to show off his shark teeth.  
“My, my, what a nice sharkie we have here!” said the fish skeleton perched in her hair. “A very nice sharkie…”   
Her hand grazed against his arm.  
“Yes, yes. A pretty one, a nice one. Fresh, not rotting. You can go! They won’t even know! To the Blue Sea! An ambassador!” the skeleton chirruped.  
“I’d be honored,” Sal replied.  
Mikotsu clapped her hands together and twirled around. “Good, good, good!” She giggled.  
Tsuribari stepped out from his place in the shadows where he had been watching. “An ambassador needs to look the part,” he said. He gripped Sal’s hand. “Come along. I’ll get you ready.”

Sal slipped into his new suit. Tsuribari had tailored it for him. His tail whipped happily through the water, and he grinned at his reflection.  
He certainly did look the part of ambassador now.   
The blond boy finished straightening his tie. He stood up on his tiptoes to peck Sal lightly on the cheek. “For good luck,” he said in that same flat tone, but Sal caught a glimpse of something else beyond the dead-eyed expression.   
Sal bowed to him with a flourish. “Why, thank you!”


	7. Chapter 7

Samekichi twisted his head to look up into madness-lit eyes. Sal held his head in his lap, as he would a small child. His grip was unbreakable.  
He combed his fingers through Samekichi’s hair, making soft crooning noises. His smile was calm, but occasionally his lips would part into a manic grin.  
“Brother… Oh, brother… Do you know? What I did for you? Because I cared about you.” He bent over, drawing so close that Samekichi could see nothing but the swimming red madness in his eyes. “Because you once cared about me.” He straightened back up.  
“Sal… What're you—”  
Samekichi was cut off by a soft whine of pain as Sal’s claws dug into his scalp. “Ah-ah-ah. Let me finish. So impatient.” He shook his head. “You once cared, Samekichi. Not anymore. After all, what was the point of me,” he dragged one finger down Samekichi’s face, leaving a thin pink line where his nail scraped skin, “when you had her?”  
“Sal, no, I didn't—”  
“Di-i-i-d!” he sang. His smile abruptly disappeared. “Do you know, dear Samekichi, that I met our father?”  
“Our father?” Samekichi had never really thought of the man. He never met him, never even felt his absence. But was that surprising, when he barely remembered their mother?  
“Yes. Yes. He looked an awful lot like you…” Sal’s hand moved to cover Samekichi’s mouth. He leaned in again. “If you just…”  
Samekichi would have screamed in pain, if he could. Sal’s teeth ripped a jagged chunk out of his fin. The white shark pulled away, chewing contemplatively, blood blooming into the water. His hand drifted back to Samekichi's hair.  
“S-Sal!? What the hell!” Samekichi hissed through his teeth, tears of pain dissolving seamlessly into the water.  
Sal didn't seem to be listening. He pushed his brother away, and then grabbed him by the tail. “Here, too.”  
“No… Stop. Stop!”  
Sal sunk his teeth in again, tearing at flesh and cartilage, leaving rough edges of skin drifting in the water. Salt water seeped into the wounds.  
“Sal…” Samekichi whimpered, staring at his mangled tail. “You… Y-You sick freak! You…”  
“Worthless piece of shit brother?” He laughed. “Don’t worry, dear Samekichi. I’ll show this sea just how terrible I am. But just know, darling brother, sweet shark lover of the sea-born witch…” He leaned in again to whisper into Samekichi’s ear, his breath making the grey shark shiver, “I did it all for you.”


End file.
